Device for destroying vermin



Jan. 23, 1934'. L. cooK 4 1,944,784

DEVICE FOR DESTROYING VERMIN 7 Filed March 14, 1932 not walk over the same.

Patented Jan. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,944,784 DEVICE FOR DESTROYING VERMIN Lydia Cook, Burlington, Iowa Application March 14, 1932. Serial No. 598,843

3 Claims. -(0|. 43 -123) My invention relates to improvements in elec-. trical vermin exterminators.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device which will serve as a protector for the floor, or the like, so that the floor will not be damaged by the castor orleg of the bed and which will also serve to exterminate the bed bugs.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a, side elevation of a device embodying my invention, parts in vertical section,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same, the cover element being shown in section,

Figure 3 is an end elevation of one unit of the device, and,

Figure '4 is a vertical section through a receptacle included in the device.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a receptacle, adapted to receive thecastor, or the like, carried by the lower end of the leg 6 of a bed. This receptacle is preferably formed of glass, and its surfaces are polished or smooth, so that the bed bug cannot walk up the receptacle, except by walking up a relatively narrow strip or path '7, formed 7 upon the outer surface of the receptacle. This strip or path is rendered rough by any suitable means, so that the bed bug may readily walk up the same.

Formed integral with the receptacle 5, at one side thereof, is a vertical supporting element 8,

which would also be formed of glass, with its surface polished or smooth, so that the bed bug can- This supporting element has the roughened strip or path '7 continued over its outer face, as shown in Figure 3.

Arranged upon the outer face of the supportingelement 8, Figure 3, are electrodes 9, formed of metal. The roughened strip or path 7 leads to the central portion of the lower electrode 9, as shown. their central portions, is also slightly roughened so that the bed bug .may readily walk from one electrode to the other.

arranged between these electrodes, and the space source of current.

The numeral 11 designates a collecting recep- The surfaces of these electrodes, near The electrodes 9 are slightly spaced, and insulating material may be pole of a suitable ment 8, and this cover snugly fits upon such supporting element, at its ends, as clearly shown in Figure 1. This cover is preferably formed of in-' sulating material. The cover has a band 15 secured thereto near its lower end, and this band has pivotal connection at 16, with a yoke 17, adapted to be swung over the upper end of the collecting receptacle, thereby serving to detachably connect the two receptacles.

Openings 18 are provided whereby the yoke may be moved upwardly.

The operation of the device is as follows:- With the various parts assembled as shown in Figure 1, a bed bug, in seeking to pass from the floor to the bed, walks up the roughened strip or path '7; and reaches the electrodes 9, and in attempting to pass from one electrode to theother, its electrocuted. The electrocuted bed bug now falls into the receptacle 11. By arranging the lower end of the leg of the bed or castor within the receptacle 5, this receptacle also serves as a protector for the floor. The receptacle 5, in Figure 4, omits the electrocuting device. I prefer to place the lower ends of the three legs of the bed in thereceptacle 5, of'Figure 4, whilereceptacle 5 of Figure 1 receives a fourth leg of the bed. The receptacle 5 of Figure 4 has no roughened path, and all of the bugs must, therefore, walk up receptacle 5 of Figure 1. Of course, the invention is not necessarily restricted to this pro cedure, as any number of the receptacles 5, shown in Figure 1, could be used.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new is: 1. A vermin destroyer, comprising a receptacle for receiving the lower end of the leg of a bed.

and having its outer surface smooth except for connecting the electrodes to the opposite pole of outer surface smooth except for a roughened path, I

a supporting element carried by the receptacle and having the path continued thereon, spaced electrodes carried by the supporting element and having the path leading to one electrode, and

means for connecting the electrodes with the 0pposite poles of a source of current.

3. A vermin destroyer, comprising a receptacle to receive the lower end of the leg of a bed having its outer surface smooth except for a roughened path, a supporting element the upper portion of the receptacle near one side thereof and having the roughened path extending thereon, spaced electrodes carried by the supporting element and having the roughened path leading to one electrode, means for connecting the electrodes with the opposite poles of a source of current, a cover mounted upon the supporting element, a collecting receptacle arranged near the first-named receptacle and having a portioni thereof disposed beneath the supporting element so that the electrocuted bed bugs will fall into the collecting receptacle, and means for detachably connecting the cover and the collecting receptacle.

' LYDIA COOK.

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